Contact Information
Schrafft Center
529 Main Street Suite 1M3
Boston, MA 02129
Phone: 617-236-7210
Toll free: 800-331-0688
View the Federation for Children with Special Needs website
Information Specialist: Ingrid Arvidson – Manager of Statewide Information Center
E-mail: info@fcsn.org
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9AM – 5PM
Additional Locations: None.
Organization Narrative
The Federation for Children with Special Needs is recognized statewide and nationally as a pioneering organization that advocates for quality education, strong parent participation and access to quality health care services for all children, especially those with disabilities.
The Federation’s staff works in the areas of children’s health, parental involvement, Early Intervention, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA), Basic Rights, Inclusion and Transition/Self Determination. The Federation plays a pivotal role in the dissemination of information to parents and families and provides training in English, Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese. Throughout its history, the Federation has worked to reach out to financially and culturally diverse families in need of supports and services.
The work of the Federation is centered around its mission; The Federation for Children with Special Needs provides information, support, and assistance to parents of children with disabilities, their professional partners, and their communities. We are committed to listening to and learning from families, and encouraging full participation in community life by all people, especially those with disabilities.
The centrality of families is key in all of our work. The families we work with (and their professional partners) require a variety of supports.
These supports can include training, workshops on Individual Education Plan development, assisting their child as he/she phases out of the school system, finding a support group, promoting family involvement in schools, advocating for their child’s inclusion in a school setting, and much more.
Population(s) Served
Parents of children with disabilities, their professional partners, and their communities
Language(s)
Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish,
Services
- information and Referral
- parent training & information center
- parent-to-parent support
- special education information related to education law, advocacy, workshops, community resources, school programs, disability information and other areas of concern.
- A comprehensive advocacy training program for those who wish to assist parents with special education issues.
- Parent Advisory Councils
- “Newsline” newsletter
Eligibility/Criteria/Enrollment
open to parents and professionals to children with disabilities.
Fees
free
